Use spaces and devices engineered to minimize hazards.

Performing chemical experiments in chemical laboratories equipped with good

ventilation or fume hoods can decrease the risk of inhaling a particular chemical.

Refrigerators used to store chemicals look externally similar to what you would

find in your kitchen, but they are specifically designed to be explosion proof. The

risk of your milk exploding is really low, but the risk of stored chemical in a

laboratory exploding is much greater!

Use appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).

Safety goggles help protect your eyes from being exposed to hazardous

chemicals. Wearing closed-toed shoes protect your feet from drops and spills.

Gloves can protect your hands from being exposed to hazardous substances.

These are examples of PPE that minimize risk.

Prepare

While we can minimize risk, we can never eliminate all hazards. Preparing for

accidents can aid us in responding appropriately when an accident occurs. By

preparing, we not only increase our chances of solving a problem, but we also

help ensure that we do not worsen a problem when responding to an accident.

We have emergency measures in place in the laboratory. One example is an eye-

wash station that is used if someone gets a hazardous substance in their eye.

You might think that this station is redundant because we should all be wearing

safety eyewear. You are correct. It is redundant, and that is the point. While we

expect that we will not need to use the eyewash because of our minimization of

risk with PPE, we are still prepared in case an accident does occur. Other

examples of these measures include first aid kits for minor cuts and scrapes, a

safety shower for large spills on people, spill kits to clean up spills on surfaces,

and a fire extinguisher for small fires.

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